Since I'm here, I might as well make the best of it. It's been a long time since I last shot arrows, and when I touched the longbow, I felt a sense of familiarity, like meeting an old friend.
Song Yu, holding his bow, said to Duan Xiao and Song Heng, "It's rare for the three of us to be together. Why don't we each shoot ten arrows for fun?"
"Okay." Duan Xiao weighed the longbow in his hand and agreed frankly.
Song Heng took the sandalwood bow handed to him by the servant as a sign of agreement.
"Hey, Song Yu," Duan Sheng smiled at Song Yu, raising an eyebrow. "My brother's archery skills are second to none in Qixia. Your Majesty's famous "shot an arrow right between the eyebrows" against an enemy general is well-known. Have you been tired of your own face for a long time and want to find a place to hide?"
My hand holding the longbow paused. Duan Sheng's sharp tongue is really beyond the reach of ordinary people... I inexplicably thought of the time when the concubines sighed that "they can finally have a good sleep" because of her going to Donglin.
Song Yu wasn't annoyed at all. He raised his chin and said, "That's why I said let's have some fun. I have foresight."
Duan Sheng snorted lightly and sat on the chair next to him, indicating, "I'll watch, you start."
I naturally wouldn't interfere with their archery. Duan Sheng pulled me aside and said, "Come, let's see how that fool Song Yu loses face."
Duan Xiao walked forward with a bow in hand, his red clothes fluttering. He seemed very nonchalant when he raised his hand to draw the bow. However, when he drew the bow to its full extent and aimed, his slightly narrowed eyes made people feel frightened.
"Watching my brother shoot arrows like this," Duan Sheng picked up a handful of almonds, "I always feel like if this arrow hits me, I'll be dead in the next second."
Yes, that’s very appropriate.
The sound of "Swish" reminded me of the moment when he shot the arrow to help me knock away Duan Sheng's arrow. He was also so decisive and quick.
Sure enough, it was right in the center of the circle.
These people with their own halos...
The servant at the side tried to pick the arrow from the target, but at first he couldn't get it off. Then he shook his arm and finally got it off.
All ten arrows hit the bull's eye without exception. When it came to the last arrow, the servant pretended not to see the arrow on the target, and swung his arm to send the nine arrows back.
Duan Xiao smiled and said nothing more, returning the bow to the servant: "Thank you for your hard work."
The servant scratched his head a little embarrassedly: "Second Prince, you are too kind."
"This is the first time I see His Majesty shooting arrows while wearing a dragon robe, hehe..." Duan Sheng shook his head.
I looked over when I heard the sound, and saw that Song Heng's shining dragon robe was even more dazzling in the sunlight. Unlike Duan Xiao who was casual, he was very focused and serious in every move, and every step seemed to be predicted with extremely precise accuracy, until the end - the arrow left the string.
The arrow feather swayed slightly, and the servant took off the arrowhead and stood aside, not as strenuous as before.
As expected, all nine arrows hit the bull's eye. By the tenth arrow, I could predict the outcome. I yawned, and all I heard was the whistling of the wind.
The tenth arrow shot through the bull's eye of the target!
My eyes widened instantly, and Duan Sheng sat up straighter. "It's really accurate! Ten arrows are aimed at the same point, and the combined force penetrates the target. Wow."
"Song Yu, that idiot!" Duan Sheng suddenly pounded the table, his voice suddenly lowered: "I feel embarrassed for him..."
"Princess, have you seen Song Yu shoot arrows?" I asked subconsciously. Since Song Yu will lead the army to war later, I think Song Yu's archery skills must be very good.
"No," Duan Sheng answered naturally, "Except for the last time at the hunting ground when he said he didn't see me and almost shot me to death with an arrow."
At this point, she gritted her teeth even more: "Just look at that look, and you're shooting arrows with my brother and His Majesty!"
While we were talking, Song Yu had already drawn his bow and walked forward, still with a smile on his face as if nothing had happened, and shot an arrow casually.
Hmm... I shot it in the upper middle of the straw target. If it had been any higher, it would have missed the target...
I looked ahead awkwardly, not daring to turn around to look at Duan Sheng beside me. I could only hear the "crunching" sound of nuts being crushed.
Is Song Yu stupid? He exposes his weaknesses even though his sweetheart is right next to him?
I was so worried about him.
One on the left, one on the right, one below... Song Yu even specifically instructed the servant not to remove these scattered arrows. Was he afraid that we wouldn't be able to see his "achievements"?
Harmful!
After ten arrows were finally shot, Duan Sheng seemed to have adjusted his state. He stood up and rushed towards Song Yu.
Song Yu was one step ahead of her and turned around and said, "Auntie, look at the target. This is for you."
"Who cares about your—" Duan Sheng shook her braids and before she could finish her words, Duan Xiao beside her spoke first, his tone lazy: "Brother Yu, my sister is stupid, you'd better be straightforward."
Duan Sheng was baffled, and so was I. Following Song Yu's words, we looked at the target—
Although the arrows are scattered, the overall shape is very neat: connecting the dots into a line, it seems that there is a diamond shape on the top, and two symmetrical diagonal lines on the bottom, like a "person"...
Combined with Duan Xiao's words, I suddenly had an epiphany and burst into laughter -
This Song Yu!
The arrows are connected, like a diamond-shaped kite, but at this moment, it is most likely a "heart knot" pattern!
A knot of love, a bond of eternal love.
I looked at Duan Xiao and opened my mouth to say the three words "Heart Knot" without saying a word. He nodded at me.
When I looked away, I happened to meet the eyes of Song Heng, who was sitting next to Duan Xiao. I felt inexplicably cold, and I immediately looked away guiltily to look at Song Yu and Duan Sheng.
Duan Sheng was also looking at the target, and finally muttered, "What the hell is that?"
Duan Xiao chuckled, and Song Yu curled her lips: "Really stupid."
Duan Sheng jumped as if a bomb had been set off, and said angrily: "Your archery is a mess, and you call me stupid!"
After saying that, he turned around and saw me smiling. Duan Sheng hesitated for a moment and said, "Mu Zhaoyi, do you understand? What do you mean?"
I looked at Song Yu. He didn't seem to want to stop me, so I said, "Maybe you don't have that in Qixia. This knot is called a 'heart knot,' meaning eternal love."
That’s great.
Duan Sheng was stunned for a moment, then said dryly: "Qixia Kingdom... indeed, indeed... not."
I looked at her face which quickly turned red and I burst out laughing. I was actually so happy eating dog food.
Duan Sheng stood there, looking bewildered, a rare sight. Song Yu stepped forward and said with a smile, "You were kidding! That was a kite!"
"Hmph." Duan Sheng glared at Song Yu shyly and could not say anything else.
Duan Xiao teased from the side, "Brother Yu, you're not being very kind! You said the three of us were playing with arrows, but it turns out you were just trying to coax my silly sister!"
Before Song Yu could speak, Duan Sheng stopped him and said, "You're stupid! You're not kind! Shut up!"
Duan Xiao was surprised for a moment, then he covered his chest with his hands, looking heartbroken: "Girls can't be kept at home when they grow up..."
Duan Sheng's face turned even redder. Song Yu laughed behind her and then put his arm around her shoulders: "If you don't stay, someone else will."
She turned around and looked at Duan Sheng with a smile in her eyes: "Isn't it? Auntie."
"Nonsense." Duan Sheng turned her head away, but the corners of her mouth unconsciously raised high, full of the joy and happiness of a young girl: "Idiot..."
I picked up the teacup and took a sip. Why is this tea so sweet today, as if it has been sugared?
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